Adam Cole, LI's MJF set to meet at AEW All In main event in front of record crowd
MJF, left, and Adam Cole. Credit: AEW
It took Adam Cole leaving the biggest pro wrestling promotion in the world to get a chance to wrestle in front of one of the biggest crowds in pro wrestling history.
And across the ring from him will be Long Island’s own MJF.
“It’s hard to describe, because I haven’t been in this situation before,” said Cole, who will be challenging MJF this Sunday for the All Elite Wrestling world championship in the main event of All In, in front of more than 80,000 fans in London’s Wembley Stadium. It’s on track to be the largest crowd of paying wrestling fans in history.
“To be able to break the paid attendance record is wild,” Cole said. “So of course, I have a lot of nerves, but also a lot of excitement. I think at this point I've been wrestling for 15 years. So, I'm going in with a certain confidence of knowing that I have to do what I've done for over 15 years at this point.”
Cole’s main event bout with MJF comes after the two stars created an odd-couple alliance on AEW television. Despite MJF being widely regarded as wrestling’s most despicable villain, Cole developed an unlikely bromance with the world champion, even while challenging him for his title.
Storyline aside, Cole said he recognized MJF’s potential early on.
“The first time I saw him, I thought, ‘Oh, this guy is going to do really, really well.’ He was one of those guys that at such a young age, he carried himself really well,” Cole said of the Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School graduate. “He wrestled great. Obviously, he's an incredible talker. So, I was really looking forward to the idea of getting to step into the ring with him at some point. Now, fast forward, and to be involved in this angle has been so much fun. And I think I think a big reason the chemistry has worked so well is me and him both have a very similar approach and mindset when it comes to pro wrestling.”
Cole joined AEW in 2021, following a four-year run in WWE, during which he won championships and headlined major shows but was largely featured on the company’s developmental brand, NXT.
Although he now works for the competition, Cole made it clear he bears no ill will toward his former employer.
“Truth be told, there’s a lot of guys — and me included — who are excited when WWE does really, really well . And I know a lot of guys there are super excited and pumped for us when something goes well, like, for example, this giant Wembley Stadium show,” Cole said about All In, which will air live on pay-per-view. “The fact that AEW is such a young company, and to be able to sell so many tickets — for a while without a single match announced— is absolutely incredible, and something that AEW should be very proud of. To me, it's proof that AEW is here to stay and doing nothing but growing.”
Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.
